Innovation of the Week: 2013

Professor Plastic loves to share new innovations in plastics that contribute to sustainability, safety, longer lives and better performance. Choose an Innovation of the Week to learn more.

Wine not?December 19, 2013 - Fear not, wine lovers. A new portable, premium wine serving is making headway at concerts, outdoor events and other venues—made from the same recyclable plastic as beverage bottles.Learn More

Peyton in plastics...December 12, 2013 - After an injury in Indianapolis, what did Peyton Manning rely on to play three weeks later in Denver? An ankle brace made with polyurethane plastics—manufactured in Indianapolis.Learn More

Can you see the music?December 5, 2013 - Move over, Stradivarius. Bayer MaterialScience has developed a transparent, futuristic cello using polyurethane plastics, incorporating color and lighting effects—even video.Learn More

That's pretty cool...November 21, 2013 - Forgot ice for the tailgate? A new cooler uses two plastics to provide enough insulation to keep a case of beverages “refreshingly cold” for at least 10 hours, the manufacturer says.Learn More

The knee bone's connected to the...November 14, 2013 - FDA recently cleared a new plastic medical device that allows surgeons to attach tendons, ligaments and soft tissue to bone—and it fastens better than screws, the manufacturer says.Learn More

To the rescue...November 7, 2013 - Can plastic foam save lives on the battlefield? Pentagon is funding research to determine if polyurethane foam can stem internal bleeding in wounded soldiers.Learn More

Stronger under stress?October 31, 2013 - Duke University researchers have created a plastic they say actually gets stronger when stressed—it may find uses in artificial hearts and prosthetics. (Or maybe cell phones…?)Learn More

The "power" of plasticsOctober 24, 2013 - Breakthrough in solar power? Stanford University researchers have dramatically improved the ability of lightweight plastic solar cells to absorb sunlight and conduct electricity.Learn More

Hot Stuff!!October 17, 2013 - An Australian company has developed a way to make its plastic coffee cup lids turn bright red when hot to warn against scalding. The Aussie company now ships the “Smart Lid” worldwide.Learn More

Power plays in the basement?October 10, 2013 - Clear out the ping-pong table, it’s time for basement ice hockey! While long used in commercial rinks, plastic “ice” flooring is now available to homeowners. Watch those body checks…Learn More

Just chomp to clean your chompersOctober 3, 2013 - Brush your teeth in six seconds? A new 3-D printed plastic toothbrush makes brushing your teeth “as easy as biting into an apple,” says the manufacturer.Learn More

Heal ThyselfSeptember 26, 2013 - Remember the liquid metal cyborg in Terminator 2 that could repair itself? Researchers have developed a plastic (nickname: Terminator) that heals itself after being cut into pieces.Learn More

High-five!September 19, 2013 - Ever wish you could give a friend a high-five through your computer screen? It may be possible in the future with a sheet of plastic bubbles that pop up to replicate the pressure of touch.Learn More

Now THIS is environmental engineering...September 12, 2013 - BMW makes its i3 high production electric car using carbon fiber-reinforced plastics—plus, 25 percent of plastics in interior are made from recycled material or renewable resources.Learn More

From markers to motors...September 5, 2013 - Back to school means lots of colorful markers. Crayola Colorcycle™ program now takes back used markers from schools and turns the plastics into fuel.Learn More

Can you feeeeeeel the music …?August 22, 2013 - 4D headphones? Thin plastic film imprinted with electrodes vibrates to stimulate physical sensations in your head. Manufacturer: It’s like putting “subwoofers on ears.”Learn More

Connecting the world ...August 15, 2013 - Can lightweight polyethylene plastic balloons help Google deliver Internet service to unserved regions of the globe? That’s what “Project Loon” is all about… (Photo: John Shenk, AP)Learn More

Better design with plasticsAugust 1, 2013 - A plastic umbrella wins an international design award? This Italian umbrella is made completely of tough, flexible polypropylene plastic – no more wrestling with flimsy umbrellas!Learn More

Need a spring in your step? How about 16 ...July 25, 2013 - Can a shoe do your running for you? Nope — but this new running shoe features an insole with 16 plastic blades that Adidas says are designed to spring back and propel you forward as you run.Learn More

From bottles to bridgesJuly 18, 2013 - Bridges made from shampoo bottles? Axion says its bridges made from recycled HDPE and polystyrene plastics won’t “rust, splinter, crumble, rot” and require “virtually no maintenance.”Learn More

Taking flight with plasticsJuly 11, 2013 - Plastics from Bayer and Solvay help lighten the load on innovative airplane that crossed the country using solar power. Next trip for the “Solar Impulse”? Around the world…Learn More

A few precious minutes ...June 27, 2013 - Synthetic platelets made with plastics may save lives by slowing internal bleeding of wounded soldiers or crash victims, researchers say.Learn More

Wonderbag = more efficient cookingJune 13, 2013 - Can a simple bag insulated with recycled polystyrene foam make cooking more efficient—saving energy, water and time? See how plastics enable the Wonderbag™.Learn More

"Try the claw ..."May 30, 2013 - Play “The Crane Game” app from Covanta and have fun learning about turning non-recycled plastics and other household waste into energy.Learn More

Doctors "print" 3D plastic breathing tubeMay 23, 2013 A plastic tube made by a 3-D printer saves a baby’s life by supporting his breathing airway – the “resorbable” plastic will dissolve within three years, according to doctors.Learn More

Plastics from algaeMay 16, 2013 - Can algae + sunlight = plastics? Researchers have engineered blue-green algae that use photosynthesis to convert carbon dioxide into a chemical used to make plastics, paints and fuels.Learn More

3-D in the palm of your handMay 2, 2013 - 3-D without the glasses. Thanks to “half a million perfectly shaped lenses” nano-imprinted on plastic film, games and images will be seen in brilliant 3-D on mobile devices.Learn More

No more cracked phones?April 23, 2013 - Dare you to drop it! Samsung plans to replace the glass screen on its new Galaxy Note® phablet (phone/tablet) with a thinner, lighter, “unbreakable” plastic screen.Learn More

That's one tough ID...April 18, 2013 - The end of the fake ID? New York State will make drivers’ licenses from super-tough polycarbonate plastic—officials say the high-tech licenses are almost impossible to forge.Learn More

That's one tough bulb…April 11, 2013 - This polycarbonate LED bulb uses 90 percent less energy than an incandescent bulb, is “virtually unbreakable and shock resistant,” and lasts nearly six years, says the manufacturer.

Cell phone repels waterApril 4, 2013 - OMG I dropped my cell phone in the sink!!! No worries, according to the maker of a “hydrophobic polymer layer” (OK, plastic) that coats the outside and the inside of some current cell phones.Learn More

And the winner is ...?March 21, 2013 - Six college basketball teams are wearing REALLY BRIGHTLY COLORED Adidas uniforms made from 60% recycled plastics. Regardless who wins, chalk one up for the planet.Learn More

Plastics help rebuildMarch 8, 2013 - Strong, long-lasting polyurethane plastic composite is being used to rebuild seawalls following Hurricane Sandy.Learn More

Where the plastics meet the roadFebruary 22, 2013 - Time to reinvent the wheel? To improve fuel economy, one auto wheel maker now uses plastic composites to improve aerodynamics and reduce weight, potentially adding more than 1 MPG.Learn More

Plastic eye lensFebruary 14, 2013 - Hundreds or thousands of ultra-thin layers of plastics form a lens that works like the human eye lens—and potentially may be used to repair damaged human eyes.Learn More

Plastic protectantFebruary 7, 2013 - Tired of doing laundry? A new coating made with plastics is virtually impervious to most liquids. It could protect against stains and bacteria – maybe even biological and chemical threats on the battlefield.